Politics - July 2008

Our children are not born to hate, they are raised to hate.

- Thomas della Peruta -

On August 6, 2008 I am scheduled to arrive in Israel for two weeks. I’d be happy to see as many friends as possible during the visit. All who are interested to see me, please get in touch now to set a date and time, as this visit will promise to be very hectic.

Israel at 60 - Israel: Hamas Agreement - Tractor Terror - PALESTINIAN CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND MEDIA FREEDOMS - Israel: Hezbollah Deal - Too Late
Prime Minister of Bulgaria Sergei Stanishev - The Situation in Iraq - American Presidential Elections - Barack Obama - Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: General information and resources - Farewell to the Woodrow Wilson Center
Department of Politics, University of Hull - New Article - New Books - Data abut This Blog - Gem of the Month: Euro 2008 - Film of the Month - Jewish Haiku


Israel at 60

Prime Minister of Canada, Stephen Harper, spoke recently in an event celebrating Israel’s 60th anniversary, pledging Canada’s unequivocal support of the State of Israel. Watch this short and forceful video that warms the heart: http://youtube.com/watch?v=Y9p0IAZXEo8 ; I thank Bertha Skladman for the link.

Israel-Hamas Agreement

On June 19, 2008 at 6 a.m. the lull in the fighting in the Gaza Strip was supposed to go into effect. During the first four days the terrorist organizations have not fired shots or launched rockets or mortar shells from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory. The IDF also stopped its counterterrorist activities in the Strip and orders for opening fire were refreshed.

Hamas presented the lull arrangement as a victory for the movement, which succeeded in “imposing” its conditions on Israel by virtue of the activities of the “resistance” and popular Palestinian protest.

Whenever Hamas agrees to a truce, that means that it needs some relaxation in the tension, to bring some quiet to the weary activists. This is a testimony to the IDF’s success in thwarting terrorist activities. Rest assured that Hamas uses this period to regroup, rearm, and prepare for the next stage of the struggle.

However, the truce did not last for long. Only five days later, on June 24, three Qassam rockets fired from Gaza struck the nervous Israeli border town of Sderot and its environs, luckily causing no serious injuries. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack and said it had been a response to an Israeli military raid in the West Bank city of Nablus earlier that day in which a senior Islamic Jihad operative and another man were killed.

Tractor Terror

Terror has many faces and variants. Some two weeks into a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, at around noon on July 2, 2008, three women were killed and at least 30 people were injured when a tractor driven by a Palestinian resident of east Jerusalem went out from a construction site on a terror rampage. He drove against the direction of traffic on Jaffa Street, trampling pedestrians and vehicles and plowing into two buses in downtown Jerusalem. The driver, 31-year-old Hossam Dawiath, a father of two from the village of Tzur Baher, was shot dead by two security men.

According to an assessment by the Gaza Strip organizations, as well as by sources in the Palestinian Authority, the Jerusalem attack was an independent act carried out by the driver alone. A Hamas spokesman said that the Jerusalem attack was "a natural reaction to Israel's aggression," adding the group did not know who was behind the attack. The Islamic Jihad issued a statement praising Wednesday's attack: "The attack is a clear message to the enemy from the person who carried it out and the entire Palestinian people, that it should expect more attacks for as long as it continues its crimes against the Palestinian people and the aggression against our people, our land and our places."

This was the first terror attack in Jerusalem since a gunman killed eight students in a religious school in March.


PALESTINIAN CENTER FOR DEVELOPMENT AND MEDIA FREEDOMS

The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), which has been up and running since May 2006, prides itself on being the first and only independent organisation to concentrate on monitoring media freedom violations in Palestine.

MADA says their site will expose perpetrators against media freedoms, as well as be a place for Palestinian journalists to have a say and speak out against the violations. Time will tell whether they will expose Palestinian violations of free expression as well as Israeli activities against free journalism. Time will tell the extent to which this organization is independent and free.

See MADA's site, in English and Arabic: http://www.madacenter.org/


Israel-Hezbollah Deal

Israel has known many sad days. July 16, 2008 was one of those days.
After long months of negotiations during which Hezbollah kept secret whether the two abducted soldiers were dead or alive, Hezbollah handed over two black coffins with the bodies of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev. Though officials had suspected Goldwasser and Regev were dead, the sight of the coffins was the first confirmation of their fate. The entire country cried with the bereaved families.

The swap — mediated by a U.N.-appointed German official who shuttled between the sides for 18 months — reopened another searing moment from the country's past with the planned release of Samir Kuntar and four other Lebanese prisoners. Kuntar was convicted in a 1979 nighttime attack that killed two members of the Haran family, a 4-year-old girl and her father as well as a policeman. Although polls show Israelis solidly endorse the exchange, many see Kuntar as the embodiment of evil.

The exchange was a somber occasion in Israel, which planned no ceremonies. In Lebanon, however, a hero's welcome was prepared for Kantar, a Lebanese Druse who was working for a militant Palestinian faction. The swap is likely to provide a significant boost to Hezbollah, which is trying to rebuild a reputation tarnished when it turned its guns on fellow Lebanese in May.

Lebanon's Al-Manar TV quoted senior Hezbollah official Wafik Safa at the border as saying the bodies of the two Israelis were "mutilated" from injuries they suffered during the raid.

In the dead of night on April 22, 1979, Kuntar and three other gunmen made their way in a rubber dinghy from Lebanon to the sleepy Israeli coastal town of Nahariya, 5 miles south of the Lebanese border. There, in a hail of gunfire and exploding grenades, they killed a policeman who stumbled upon them, then burst into the apartment of Danny Haran, herding him and his 4-year-old daughter outside at gunpoint to the beach below, where they were killed. An Israeli court found that Kuntar shot Danny Haran in front of his child, then smashed her head with his rifle butt. Haran's wife, Smadar, who had fled into a crawl space in the family apartment with her 2-year-old daughter, accidentally smothered the child with her hand while trying to stifle her cries.

Kuntar denies killing the older child and has never expressed remorse. He was 16 years old at the time.
Israel held on to Kuntar for decades, hoping to use him as a bargaining chip to win new information about Ron Arad whose plane crashed in Lebanon in 1986.
In the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, people handed out sweets to celebrate Kuntar's impending release. Ismail Haniyeh, Gaza's Hamas prime minister, warned Israel that it also will have to "pay the price" for Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas since June 2006 and presumed alive.

"As there was an honorable exchange today, we are determined to have an honorable exchange for our own prisoners," held in Israeli jails, Haniyeh said. "There is a captive Israeli soldier, and thousands of our sons are in prison. ... Let them answer our demands."

In addition to the five prisoners, Israel also has agreed to release the bodies of 199 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters killed over the years. This would not be the first time that Israel has paid a high price to return its troops. On several occasions, it released hundreds or thousands of prisoners in exchange for small numbers of Israeli soldiers, some of them dead.

Soldiers in Israel know that their country will do anything it can do to bring them home, dead or alive. July 16 confirmed this one more time. This is the least a country can do for its citizens who are willing to pay the highest price defending their country.

Source: Associated Press,
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080716/ap_on_re_mi_ea/israel_lebanon&printer=1;_ylt=As_zOVLLlf2pXxpuw3zOg.8UewgF
Too Late

One may say: Better late than ever. Another may say: Too late.

You may recall what I wrote about the Winograd Report, that it was expected given the identity and interests of the people Olmert had nominated. I called the majority of committee members “mamlachtiim”. I argued that the only free-of-constraints “wild card” was Professor Yehezkel Dror. That is why I wrote to him, asking to issue specific recommendations regarding PM Olmert. This is why I wrote to him yet again immediately after the committee issued its final report, urging him to raise a clear voice in favour of elections. Prof. Dror explained that the committee has no mandate to issue personal recommendations.

Now we hear what Dror really thought.

On July 3, 2008 Dror told Ynet: 'I regret the fact that we did not issue an explicit recommendation to the prime minister to resign...' He added that current peace initiatives are political maneuvers.

In a harsh article published in the Jewish-American Forward weekly, Dror wrote that such a situation as is present in Israel would not be possible in any other parliamentary democracy: "I was sure the prime minister would resign. It's amazing this hasn’t happened yet. This is not what I expected. It's beyond my nightmares". I am surprised that a man of his experience could have developed such false expectations. Dror has studied public administration all his life, and he is well versed in Israeli politics.

Now Dror says: "I regret the fact that as a member of the committee I did not insist that the report would include an institutional recommendation to the government and its head to resign following the findings." Looking back, Dror now realizes he had made a mistake in trusting the political system and the public to do what it took in light of the committee's harsh conclusions.

Dror stressed that he was amazed by Olmert's insistence, noting that he had expected the government to resign after the interim report. Dror went on to say that the changes in the army could not compensate for the ongoing weakness of the political echelon, which makes all the decisive decisions. He added that even an experienced defense minister could not cover up for a prime minister who lacks strategic thinking, regardless of his political wisdom.

Dror also expressed his criticism against Olmert in terms of the prime minister's recent conduct, which is not directly related to the war. He referred to Olmert's peace initiatives with Syria and the Palestinians as superficial maneuvers and even "a complete spin."

He explained that these initiatives lacked any deep, long-term and strategic thinking on the prime minister's part, which he said should be based on professional political-security staff work.
Dror noted that he was extremely concerned about the future. "In order to make difficult decisions in a democratic country – whether to divide Jerusalem or not, whether to evacuate settlements or not – one needs a lot of strength… All the public opinion polls show that the public has no faith in the prime minister and doesn’t believe him. My personal opinion is well known – in light of the lack of a strategic head during the war, I wouldn’t let the prime minister make important strategic decisions in regards to the future."

"I wouldn’t trust the prime minister because of what we saw during the Lebanon war and because of the failure to implement the required institutional repair – the establishment of a national security council," Dror concluded. "As we are facing great challenges from the likes of Hamas, Iran and the issue of the kidnapped soldiers, I am definitely not calm, to put it mildly."

Now he talks. He should have said the crux of these correct statements when it really mattered, when it would have been more effective. Why didn’t he?


Prime Minister of Bulgaria Sergei Stanishev

On June 17, 2008 the Woodrow Wilson Director's Forum hosted His Excellency Sergei Stanishev, Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Stanishev spoke mainly on economic matters, emphasizing Bulgaria’s yearning to prosper within the EU framework. He said that Bulgaria has always been an active proponent of an enhanced integration of the Western Balkans in the EU and NATO. At the same time, he emphasized the strong ties Bulgaria has with Russia, saying that the two countries have a long relationship, with a rich history that cannot be discounted.

Prime Minister Stanishev said the major challenge is the formulation of a common Euro-Atlantic strategic approach for the region, which would demonstrate a commitment on the part of the Euro-Atlantic institutions, send an encouraging message to reformers, and give democratization a decisive impetus.

Prior the lecture I was invited by Deputy Director Mike Van Dusen to a small gathering with Prime Minister Stanishev. I told him that my family for my mother’s side is from Bulgaria. He asked from which city and where is the family now. When I said that my family is now in Tel Aviv he said that there are quite a few Jews from Bulgaria in Israel. This is certainly true. I asked him how many Jews remained in Bulgaria and he answered 30,000, a figure that surprised me.

The prime minister is on my left. Next to him is Mike Van Dusen. On my right is the Bulgarian Ambassador to the US. I am showing this photo for my mother. I have the prime minister’s speech on file and will be happy to send it to interested parties.
Photo: Heidi Fancher.

The Situation in Iraq

On Friday, May 30, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a Director’s Forum with Dr. Adnan Pachachi, National Assembly member and former Foreign Minister of Iraq. Pachachi provided a fascinating analysis of the current security situation in Iraq and discussed Iraq’s future prospects, offering an important and thoughtful perspective on what it will take to pull his country out of violence and economic devastation.

Photo: National Geographic Blog

“The security situation in Iraq has improved somewhat,” declared Adnan Pachachi. “Violence in both Basra and Mosel has subsided a bit, and other areas have been pacified. Overall, though,” he said, “the country is in a very fragile and precarious state.”

Pachachi pointed to the continued heavy fighting in East Baghdad, as well as the consistent violence in Kirkuk. “Even in pacified areas,” he said, “there is still a pervasive fear among ordinary citizens.” The militias still have weapons, and, furthermore, their infrastructure is still intact. What is needed more than ever, Pachachi stressed, “is a professional, non-sectarian police force.”

Likewise imperative are free and fair elections. “In Iraq it is a propitious time for change,” Pachachi stated. Not only is there widespread frustration at the failure of the government to deal with everyday violence, he explained; there is also a growing disillusionment due to high levels of corruption, and because of the government’s inability to provide basic social services or address the failing economy.

Looking forward, Pachachi listed the following as the key objectives for the Iraqi government to achieve: 1) ending foreign interference by Iran; 2) overcoming political sectarianism; 3) purging the armed and security forces; 4) promoting national reconciliation; 5) restoring the judiciary; and 6) dealing with the displaced and refugee populations and facilitating their safe return.

In terms of international assistance, Pachachi remained firm that Iraq has a vested interest in becoming self-sufficient. However, at least in the initial phases, the presence of multinational forces will be essential. Particularly with regard to cleaning up the security sector—which has in many cases been co-opted by regional players such as Iran—the support of international troops will be crucial.

Should the UN mandate be extended? Or should it be replaced with a bilateral pact between Iraq and the United States? Pachachi acknowledged that this will probably not be decided in the National Assembly for at least six months. He cited opposition among Iraqis on the issue of signing a long term agreement with the U.S. and yet, the fact remains that the presence of U.S. troops is widely perceived as indispensable. According to Pachachi, there is a genuine fear on the part of many Iraqis that a U.S. withdrawal would cause the country to plummet into violence again.

On the other hand, Pachachi allowed, the UN is uniquely poised to serve as a catalyst for national reconciliation. He surmised that there may be a window of opportunity for diplomatic efforts on this issue early next year.

Pachachi closed by saying he remains hopeful that the upcoming elections will pave the way for the establishment of a liberal, non-sectarian democracy. “Iraq is an ancient land with a young and vigorous population,” he said. “It has survived many upheavals and I have no doubt that it will rise again, due to the indomitable spirit of its people.”


American Presidential Elections

This was an amazing year because of the elections. People who love and appreciate politics to the extent that I do find themselves immersed in the elections, following the news, reading the statements, watching the debates. It is a long, tiring, and expensive process. Most humans would not be able to endure running such a campaign, physically, emotionally, and financially. It takes a lot of stamina, of charisma, of organization, and of resources to arrive at the finish line. And now it is McCain v. Obama.

I was asked time and again what do I think bout the elections, who should win it, who is the better candidate for Israel. Here is what I think:

As a political scientist and a student of democracy, I believe in checks and balances. I believe it is not good for any country to have a president, of the same party, in the highest institution of power for too long. It does not matter if you stand for Republicans or for the Democrats. Eight years is a long time. The country will be better off with a change. There is a need for new thoughts, new directions, new horizons, different people who run the show and counterbalance what has been done during the past eight years.

As a person who unfortunately became more and more aware of the corrupting power of politics, as my prime minister takes envelopes with cash and no receipts and thinks this is legitimate, the United States deserves a new leader in the White House, who is not associated with the present leader. Again, this is part of the wise checks-and-balances mechanism.

For me, the most crucial issues in this election are two issues: Human rights, and the stand on Israel. On human rights, minority rights, women rights, the United States will be better off with Obama.

As for Israel, I have listened carefully to McCain and Obama. McCain seems to me more sincere than Obama when he speaks about Israel. With McCain Israel will continue to have a strong and committed friend in the White House. People who know American politics far better than I do tell me that notwithstanding the political identity of the president, the White House will continue to be a bastion of friendship to Israel. I sincerely hope this is correct.

Israel is facing nothing short of an existential threat. As long as the Iranian ayatollahs and political leaders are committed to wiping Israel from the map, and equally committed to purse nuclear capability, Israel existence is questionable. We need to understand the seriousness of the threat stemming from this great nation, Iran. Leaders of the world are required to look beyond the immediate economic incentives, and unite to make Iran understand that it has much more to lose if it continues its nuclear armament. Today, the leader of the free world resides in the White House. To continue being the leader, and to see that the world is free, the Iranian issue should be first on the agenda. It is not only the destruction of Israel at stake. The entire region will go up in flames if the Iranian leaders will carry out their mission. Listening to McCain, I believe he understands this. On this issue, Obama sounds either naïve or inexperienced.

The repeated fallacy of Americans is that many believe that the same principles underlying this great nation are shared by all: Liberty, rule of law, and pursuit of happiness. Many still do not fathom that the starting point in understanding the Middle East is to realize that the same rules of the game do not apply. Liberty is not an end. Instead of rule of law we find rule of rulers. And often the pursuit of religion IS pursuit of happiness. Money cannot buy happiness. Resources do not bring tranquility. Reason sometimes needs to be forced and enforced. Standards of endurance and resilience are staggeringly high. Concept of time is long, not instant.

The American culture is in many respects short-term, built on yearning for instant satisfaction. This is a mirror image of the Middle East. There is nothing instant in the culture and dominant religion of the Middle East.

My advice to the American leaders, notwithstanding political affiliation: Listen to your enemy; read them; understand their language; respect their ideas and values; attend to their needs and aspirations without losing yours. Do not try to enforce your ideals on them.


Barack Obama

On July 15, 2008 Obama came to the Wilson Center to speak about security. Unlike the other two speeches of him that I attended during the past months, this one was calculated, measured, pedagogic, laying the principles upon which Obama intends to build US foreign policy if elected.

Obama started his speech with the Marshall Plan, saying that different challenges are ahead today. The terrorism threat. Nuclear threat. His main theme was that focusing on Iraq does not make America safe, that it is actually a source of weakness and destabilization. America needs to find itself, yet again, in the leadership position and in order to do this Obama suggests five principles:

Ending the war in Iraq: Whereas previously Obama said he intended to leave Iraq in 2009, now he speaks of the summer of 2010. Obama said: "For eight years, we have paid the price for a foreign policy that lectures without listening, that divides us from one another -- and from the world -- instead of calling us to a common purpose -- a politics that focuses on our tactics in fighting a war without end in Iraq instead of forging a new strategy to face down the true threats that we face… We cannot afford four more years of a strategy that is so out of balance and out of step with this defining moment." The future that both US and Iraq want is of no American presence in Iraq. The Iraqi people should take responsibility for their own future.

Shift the focus of the war on terror from Iraq to Afghanistan and Pakistan: The fighting against Al-Qaeda should be in Pakistan, while fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan. Thus, American forces will be redeployed to that region from Iraq. Obama projected a strong image as a leader willing to use military force when necessary but eager to apply other "soft" measures of U.S. might: "It is unacceptable that almost seven years after nearly 3,000 Americans were killed on our soil, the terrorists who attacked us on 9/11 are still at large… Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahari are recording messages to their followers and plotting more terror. The Taliban controls parts of Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda has an expanding base in Pakistan that is probably no farther from their old Afghan sanctuary than a train ride from Washington to Philadelphia. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. And yet today, we have five times more troops in Iraq than Afghanistan." Obama also pledged a massive increase in aid to the Pakistani people to assist their economic development and foster democracy: "Make no mistake: we can't succeed in Afghanistan or secure our homeland unless we change our Pakistan policy. We must expect more of the Pakistani government, but we must offer more than a blank check to a General who has lost the confidence of his people. It's time to strengthen stability by standing up for the aspirations of the Pakistani people. That's why I'm cosponsoring a bill with Joe Biden and Dick Lugar to triple non-military aid to the Pakistani people and to sustain it for a decade, while ensuring that the military assistance we do provide is used to take the fight to the Taliban and al-Qaeda. We must move beyond a purely military alliance built on convenience, or face mounting popular opposition in a nuclear-armed nation at the nexus of terror and radical Islam."

Ascertain that nuclear weapons will not be in the hands of terrorists and rogue states: Global effort to protect against bioterrorism and cyber terror. Obama said that the US seeks a world free of nuclear weapons. He intends to pursue direct and aggressive diplomacy with Iran, tough negotiations bringing to bear American might. Obama repeated what he said at AIPAC, that the place route to pursue is a diplomacy of sticks and carrots.

Ending the tyranny of oil in our time: The US buys oil from states that support terror. It must end its dependence on oil. The US will invest in alternative energy research to explore, develop and massively use new forms of clean energy.

Rebuilding alliances, foster strong relationships, strengthen NATO, work with India: Obama also said that he intends to deepen US engagement in solving the Arab-Israeli conflict and to double foreign aid to friendly countries.

Obama's speech came just before an expected trip to Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel, Jordan, Germany, France and Britain. Both McCain and Obama see an opportunity in Obama's first foray abroad as the presumptive Democratic nominee.


Economic, Social and Cultural Rights: General information and resources

The report of the HC to ECOSOC, E/2008/76, was released on July 2, 2008 in all languages.

The report considers how the principles of equality between men and women and non-discrimination against women are paramount to the promotion and implementation of economic, social and cultural rights under international human rights law.

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/escr/escr-general-info.htm


Farewell to the Woodrow Wilson Center
http://www.wilsoncenter.org/

People build places. People make places. A place is built on the people who run it. From the top down, the Wilson Center staff is an amazing group of people – kind, welcoming, engaging, interesting, interested, caring.

Lee Hamilton says time and again: The Wilson Center acquires its name and reputation through the work of its scholars who are in the focus of the Center’s life and mission. The facilities are wonderful. The building illuminated. The location is superb. I cannot think of a better place to conduct research.

I wish to acknowledge the following individuals who made this year a very special one: Joe Brinely, Chuck Brown, Lindsay Collins, Kim Conner, Joe Gildenhorn, Haleh Esfandiari, Maria-Stella Gatzoulis, Dagne Gizaw, Lee Hamilton, Kent Hughes, Lucy Jilka, Leslie Johnson, Michelle Kamalich, Rob Litwak, Aaron Miller, William Miller, Sean McQuitty, Nick Mills, Melaney Monreal, Jacqueline Nader, Sean Singer, Janet Spikes, Dana Steinberg, Flip Strum, Michael Van Dusen, Howard Watkins, Sam Wells, Don Wolfensberger, and Marco Zambotti.

Thank you!!


Department of Politics, University of Hull

In the recent Good University Guide, the definitive guide to choosing a university in Britain, the Department of Politics at Hull is ranked sixth. See
http://extras.timesonline.co.uk/tol_gug/gooduniversityguide.php?subject=POLITICS

Five more to go.

My alma mater, Oxford, is ranked – yet again -- the best university in the nation, before the “other place”. I believe Oxford is the best university to study in the world, as very few institutions could afford personal tutorial, one-on-one teaching of graduate students. There is no substitute for this method of teaching that forces you to think hard, presses you to find your inner capabilities, and moves you far beyond technical and mechanical pursuit of knowledge.

In terms of research facilities, however, Oxford and all British universities have to cover a lot of ground to achieve what Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, Columbia and other excellent American universities have to offer.


New Article

R. Cohen-Almagor, "The Limits of Objective Reporting", Journal of Language and Politics, Vol. 7, No. 1 (2008), pp. 138-157.

The aim of this study is to scrutinize the assumption that objective reporting is good reporting, is ethical reporting. I do this by reflecting on different dimensions that are associated with the concept of objectivity: (1) accuracy; (2) truthfulness; (3) fairness and balance, and (4) moral neutrality. It is asserted that in many cases journalists are not objective in their reporting either because they consciously prefer not to be or because they are being manipulated by their sources. I close by asserting that the values of not harming others and respecting others should play a prominent part in the considerations of journalists. These are basic ethical standards that sometimes require normative reporting. Consequently, morally neutral coverage of hate speech and racism is a bad idea. It is a false and wrong conception. Subjectivity is preferable to objectivity when the media cover illiberal and anti-democratic phenomena.

As ever, I’d be happy to send a copy to interested parties.


New Books

AVI BEKER, THE CHOSEN: The History of an Idea, and the Anatomy of an Obsession (Palgrave MacMillan).

The Chosen looks at the concept from the Old and New Testaments to the Arab-Israeli conflicts to popular culture references to end-of-time beliefs of evangelicals, and highlights what all of us can learn from this very complex and controversial label. Crisscrossing the twin cultural and theological divides between Judaism, Christendom, and Islam, The Chosen explains how the Jews, of all people, have come to represent at once the epitome of both the good and the odious.

Beker covers not only the great stories of how the Jews came to be chosen and the Christian, Muslim, and Nazi efforts to appropriate the title, but also the key role “chosenness” plays in contemporary anti-Semitism and in the current Middle East conflict over the Land of Israel and the chosen city of Jerusalem.


John Milton Cooper (ed.), Reconsidering Woodrow Wilson (Woodrow Wilson Center Press and Johns Hopkins, 2008).

Yaacoov Roi and Boris Morozov (Editors), The Soviet Union and the June 1967 Six-Day War (Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, 2008).

Politics of the Modern Arab World / Edited by Laleh Khalili
Series: Critical Issues in Modern Politics

This 4-volume collection brings together some 70 articles already published in refereed journals. The aim is to counter the oft-cited opinion that studies of Middle Eastern politics are devoid of social scientific theory and method by providing an overview of the state of the scholarship in the field, innovations therein, and the debates that have advanced knowledge in the field.

The collection covers the Arab world, from Morocco to the borders of Iran, with the focus primarily on the 20th century, and especially the post-Second World War era. By choosing a wide array of authors, many of whom are from the region or from the non-Anglophone world, the full breadth of worldwide scholarship on the modern Arab world is on display. The collection defines politics broadly in line with the most innovative current works in the field of political studies to include not only politics at the state level, but also the public, social and popular domains that define and shape (and are in turn defined and shaped) by politics.

Through juxtaposing articles that have already been published at various junctures and in disparate locales, the collection illuminates the contours of the field and the startling inter-relations between the works of various scholars who may not have thought of one another as interlocutors.

July 2008: 234x156: 1,700pp
Hb: 978-0-415-45159-8: £595.00


Exploring Social Rights: Between Theory and Practice / Edited by Daphne Barak-Erez and Eyal Gross, http://www.hartpub.co.uk/books/details.asp?isbn=9781841136134

Exploring Social Rights looks into the theoretical and practical implications of social rights. The book is organised in five parts. Part I considers theoretical aspects of social rights, and looks into their place within political and legal theory and within the human rights tradition; Part II looks at the status of social rights in international law, with reference to the challenge of globalisation and to the significance of specific regional regulation (such as the European System); Part III includes discussions of various legal systems which are of special interest in this area (Canada, South Africa, India and Israel); Part IV looks at the content of a few central social rights (such as the right to education and the right to health); and Part V discusses the relevance of social rights to distinct social groups (women and people with disabilities). The articles in the book, while using the category of social rights, also challenge the separation of rights into distinct categories and question the division of rights to 'civil' vs 'social' rights, from a perspective which considers all rights as 'social'. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with human rights, the legal protection of social rights and social policy.

'Social rights are the stepchildren of the human rights family. Are they really 'rights'? Can courts enforce them? And does it make any difference when they try? This remarkable collection of essays by distinguished scholars offers important new responses to all the basic questions. Ranging across disciplinary and national boundaries and brimming with both theoretical and practical insights, the book is especially welcome in this moment of mounting inequalities and growing interest in the possibilities and perils of social rights.'

William E Forbath, Lloyd M Bentsen Chair in Law and Professor of History,
University of Texas at Austin

'At the auspicious moment of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and more than half a century since the beginning of the Human Rights Revolution–a time characterized by the end of the cold war, globalization and privatization, comes this important compilation which critically revisits the international commitment to social rights, and reconceives its core distinguishing principles–from crosscutting comparative, theoretical and practical perspectives–illuminating our commitment to human security.'

Ruti Teitel, Ernst Stiefel Professor of Comparative Law, New York Law School.
Author, 'Transitional Justice' (OUP 2002)


Islam and Human Rights in Practice: Perspectives Across the Ummah
Edited by Shahram Akbarzadeh, Benjamin MacQueen
Series: Routledge Advances in Middle East and Islamic Studies
• ISBN: 978-0-415-44959-5
• Binding: Hardback
• Published by: Routledge
• Publication Date: 06/03/2008
• Pages: 192

Questions over the compatibility of Islam and Human Rights have become a key area of debate in the perceived tensions between ‘Islam and the West’. In many ways, discussion over the stance of Islam in relation to such factors as gender rights, religious freedom, social and political freedoms, and other related issues represents a microcosm of the broader experience of how Muslim and ‘Western’ communities interact and relate.

This volume seeks to engage with the various debates surrounding Islam and Human Rights, in particular, challenging assumptions of a ‘standard’ or ‘essential’ Muslim perspective on Human Rights. Through a survey of the experiences of Muslim communities across the globe (the ummah), this volume highlights the dynamic way Muslims understand and incorporate Human Rights into their personal, social and political experiences.

From conceptual discussions on the issues of gender rights and religious freedom, to examining Muslim communities from South East Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, leading global experts bring forth key insights into the way in which Muslim communities live and experience Human Rights. The potential for deeper engagement with this issue is critical, as it opens possibilities for more profound understanding and tolerance.

http://www.routledge.com/books/Islam-and-Human-Rights-in-Practice-isbn9780415449595


Data abut This Blog

People have asked me questions about this blog. It is time to provide some information of its developments and where it stands today.

This initiative started in 2000, after my return from UCLA, in response to questions I received from many friends and colleagues about events in Israel and the Middle East (the collapse of the Camp David talks, Taba talks, the eruption of an orchestrated terror attack on Israel that has never ended). At first, I had some 80 readers. In 2003, the Newsletter became a blog on

http://almagor.blogspot.com/ . The circulation reaches some 800 people in dozens of countries, and the blog was read by thousands of other people.

Parts of it were republished in newspapers and magazines in Israel, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and Germany, possibly also in other countries. I always welcome comments and criticisms of my writings, and am happy to entertain questions, concerns and information.

Thanks to the blog I became a nexus of information. Every week I received dozens, sometimes hundreds of emails containing data and information about events, activities, human rights concerns, advocacy pieces and news from individuals and organizations in all parts of the world, many of whom I do not know. I learn a lot about human rights affairs and democratization processes in different parts of the globe. This has been a very gratifying experience. I hope that my monthly messages are of use and interest to people to some extent or another, as I try to accommodate many concerns.

I acknowledge gratitude to two people: Sam Lehman-Wilzig and Sharon Haleva-Amir. Sam is the first to read my monthly Newsletters. Often he prevents me from airing stupid, incoherent mistakes. Sam is a wonderful colleague, with a sharp eye and a wise mind. Sharon is the second to read the Newsletters prior publication. She is responsible for the beautiful photos that accompany the text, and for putting on the blog on blogger.com. She is doing a terrific job with her usual diligence and always supportive feedbacks. I cannot thank them enough.


Gem of the Month – Euro 2008

This was the best European championship I have ever seen. Exciting games. Terrific dramas. Goals in the last moment of games. Many beautiful goals. Wonderful football to relish. Even people who ordinarily do not watch this “boring, slow game”, as Americans say, were excited. The finale was unexpected…

The most exciting team was Turkey, which provided the most dramatic moments of the tournament. After the quarter finals I wanted Turkey to win the championship, and believed in its capacity to do this. Alas, in the semi-finals they met Germany.

Here is my team:

Goalkeeper:
Iker Casillas (Spain)

Defence:
Joan Capdevila (Spain)
Carles Puyol (Spain)
Giorgio Chiellini (Italy)
Philipp Lahm (Germany)

Midfield:
Andrei Arshavin (Russia)
Wesley Sneijder (The Netherlands)
Michael Ballack (Germany)

Strikers:
Semih Şentürk (Turkey)
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
David Villa (Spain)


Reserve:
Goalkeeper:
Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

Defence:
Denis Kolodin (Russia)
Fabio Grosso (Italy)

Midfield:
Darijo Srna (Croatia)
Tuncay Şanlı (Turkey)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Strikers:
Nihat Kahveci (Turkey)
Miroslav Klose (Germany)
Fernando Torres (Spain)

See http://www.euro2008.uefa.com/tournament/matches/index.html


Film of the Month

Bella (2006) is a beautiful, touching drama about two lost souls, Nina (Tammy Blanchard), a pregnant, unmarried waitress, and Jose (Eduardo Verástegui), an introspective yet troubled cook with a mysterious past, who find solace in each other as their lives become unpredictably linked throughout the course of one incredible day. An uplifting story of love, hope and forgiveness, this captivating tale is co-written and directed by Alejandro Gomez Monteverde. Verástegui gives a powerful, superb performance.

Jewish Haiku

Haiku - a form of Japanese poetry with 17 syllables in three unrhymed lines of five, seven, and five syllables, often describing nature or a season

On Passover we
opened the door for Elijah.
Now our dog is gone.

Today I am a man
Tomorrow I will return
to the seventh grade.

The shivah visit:
so sorry about your loss.
Now back to my problems.

Sorry I'm not home
to take your call. At the tone
please state your bad news.

Is one Nobel Prize
so much to ask from a child
after all I've done?

Quietly murmured
at Saturday Synagogue services,
Yanks 5, Red Sox 3.

Jewish Buddhism:
If there is no self, whose arthritis is this?

Drink tea and nourish life;
with the first sip, joy;
with the second sip, satisfaction;
with the third sip, peace;
with the fourth, a Danish.

Accept misfortune as a blessing.
Do not wish for perfect health, or a life without problems.
What would you talk about?

The Tao does not speak
The Tao does not blame.
The Tao does not take sides.
The Tao has no expectations.
The Tao demands nothing of others
The Tao is not Jewish.

The Torah says,
Love your neighbor as yourself.
The Buddha says,
There is no self.
So, maybe we're off the hook.

I thank Mike Adler for these pearls.

With my very best wishes for a beautiful stunning summer,
Yours as ever,
Rafi

My last communications are available on http://almagor.blogspot.com/
Earlier posts at my home page: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca/

People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at rafi.almagor@wilsoncenter.org

Politics - June 2008

The young fighter against corruption turns out to be a champion in the field, and he does not know it (so he claims). - Raphael Cohen-Almagor

Another interesting month in Israel. Never a dull moment. This month we learned another lesson in the relationship between governance and finance.

In philosophy, when we discuss egalitarianism and Marxism, one of the questions raised is whether the state should cater to expensive tastes that people may cultivate; for if it is each according to her needs, and we would like to cater to all, what do we do with people who develop a particular craving for Champagne and caviar? From now on, thanks to our dear (as expensive) prime minister, philosophy classes may be enriched. In addition to the much quoted example, we now can speak about luxury vacations, expensive pens and Cuban cigars. Our prime minister may also serve as an example for public policy and ethics classes on public responsibility and corruption.

This month we heard testimonials of Morris Talansky, an affluent American, who grew to like, respect and admire Olmert, the “Likud Prince”. As tokens of appreciation, he wanted to donate to Olmert’s election campaigns. Olmert was happy to receive but asked that the money be delivered, in cash, in sealed envelopes, to his trusted assistants. Later he no longer waited for Talansky to approach him. He initiated specific requests, and the money always transferred hands, in cash, left to his discretion as to how to use it. On occasion, when he stayed in luxurious hotels, he would call Talansky, crying in despair that his credit card reached its limit. The kind Talansky picked up the tab. Recently I visited the Ritz-Carleton in Washington, where Olmert stayed and could not pay the bill. A nice hotel. I can appreciate the difficulty.

And so it went for a mere fifteen years. The exact sum is yet unclear. Anything between $150,000 and $500,000 transferred hands in cash. Olmert believes he had done nothing wrong. He has cravings and needs, which he cannot afford. The State of Israel is too socialist to cater to luxury vacations, expensive pens and Cuban cigars. Talansky can.

Cynical Israelis wonder how come no Uncle Sam (or Morris) gives them envelopes full of American dollars. Why him? Why not them? We have an exceptional prime minister. He reminds me of the story of the golden calf in the Sinai desert.

What did Olmert give Talansky in return? Well, he gave him some of his precious time. He also wrote a very nice card for Talansky’s 70th birthday. Olmert also had tried to aid a Talansky business venture by introducing him to several Israeli and American billionaires, including Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson.

On November 17, 2005, Olmert connected Talansky with hotel moguls Itzhak Tshuva and Adelson in the hope that they would buy Talansky’s minibars. Six days later, Olmert received from Talansky a loan of $50,000 that was never repaid.

Talansky, 75, said there were no records of how the money he transferred was spent. "I only know that he loved expensive cigars. I know he loved pens, watches. I found it strange," Talansky told the court, then shrugged.
Olmert had asked Talansky for donations for his 1993 Jerusalem mayoral campaign and throughout his tenure as industry and trade minister. He said the cash-filled envelopes were transferred through Olmert's former bureau chief, Shula Zaken, each one containing between $3,000 and $8,000, and that the transfers were "legitimate." The unpaid loans, Talansky told Jerusalem District Court, included a $25,000-$30,000 loan used for a 2004 family vacation in bella Italia. Olmert never paid him back. Talansky said the last payment he made to Olmert was for some $72,500 for the Likud primary campaign in 2003. He said there had been no contact since Olmert became prime minister, except for a single meeting at a social function.
State Prosecutor Moshe Lador said that Olmert is suspected of money laundering, fraud, breach of trust, tax violations and violations of the Gifts Law. Olmert is also suspected of not reporting his receipts of cash while he was minister of industry and trade, as required by law. Lador was careful not to say that Olmert was suspected of receiving bribes.

Israel at 60 - AIPAC Annual Conference - Incitement - Syria - Human Rights Violations: Israel and PA - Max Kampelman - Dan David Prize - Hate in the USA - John Ivan Demjanjuk - UCL Dismissed a Research Fellow for Holocaust Denial - UK Endorses Hybrid Embryo Research - TURKISH PUBLISHER WINS IPA'S FREEDOM TO PUBLISH PRIZE - New Books - Thank You - Music - Avi Nimni - Hull Football Club - Film recommendation - Gem of the Month: AIPAC Annual Conference


Israel at 60

On June 1, 2008 the Washington National Mall was filled with tents, decorated with Israeli flags, in tribute to Israel sixtieth year of independence. Thousands of people came to listen to music (Mashina), to watch folk dancing, to learn about Israel’s history and achievements, to play games, eat and show their solidarity. In the heart of the American capital, between the Washington Monument and Capitol Hill, this was a moving and festive experience. One of its kind, as I do not know of any other country that celebrated its independence in such fashion.


AIPAC Annual Conference

The most sought after, quoted, visible, in the public eye and attention nowadays in the United States are John McCain, Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton. Within three days I had the opportunity to hear all three of them, this thanks to AIPAC. On June 2-4 AIPAC held its annual conference with an impressive gathering of 7,500 people from all over the US.

The keynote speaker of the first day was John McCain who showed understanding of the intricate issues and challenges that Israel is facing, and genuine sympathy and concern for the future of Israel, giving his unqualified pledge to support Israel. AIPAC has been focusing its attention for some time now on the Iranian issue. Unsurprisingly, this was the focus of all plenary speeches, McCain’s included. McCain criticized Obama for saying in a debate last year that he would meet leaders of Iran and other U.S. foes without preconditions. McCain argued Obama is naive and inexperienced to think that such a meeting would yield progress. He criticized Obama for seeming to suggest that Iran is trying to develop a nuclear program because the U.S. refuses to engage in presidential-level talks. McCain said the Clinton administration in particular tried to engage Iran for two years, even lifting some sanctions, to no avail. In his speech, McCain called for measures aimed at increasing pressure on Iran, such as severely limiting Iranian imports of gasoline, targeted sanctions such as denying visas and freezing assets and a worldwide campaign to divest from companies doing business with Iran. McCain called for financial sanctions on the Central Bank of Iran, which he said aids in terrorism and weapons proliferation, and he criticized Obama for opposing a measure to impose those sanctions.

Dennis Ross made a similar proposal, suggesting that the sanctions until now did not harm the Iranian economy, thus Iran’s citizens do not really feel the international pressure.
Showing sympathy with the citizens of Sderot, McCain said that no sovereign country should tolerate such attacks on civilians, and that Israel is justified to take military actions in order to stop the Kassams from terrorizing the lives of Israeli civilians.

The following day, June 3, 2008 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Honorable Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Republican Leader of the US Senate, gave keynote addresses. Both expressed their steadfast support of Israel. Both voiced alarm regarding Iran’s nuclear initiatives. Both called to increase the economic sanctions on Iran, first and foremost on Iranian banks. Rice reiterated that there is not much point in talking to the Hamas, as there is nothing to speak about, as long as it remains loyal to terrorism, to the destruction of Israel, and does not accept any compromise in Palestine.

Conference participants were told to show respect to all speakers as they represent their respective institutions. Ehud Olmert was the keynote speaker of the evening banquet held on June 3. He was well received.

Olmert would love to have such a crowd every day, anywhere. He emphasized the acute danger of Iranian nuclear power, saying that Israel will not tolerate an Iranian bomb. Olmert maintained that peace with Syria is a clear Israeli interest. He spoke of “historical negotiations” with the Palestinians and highlighted the suffering of the people of Sderot.

On that same day Obama won the Democratic presidential primaries. The following morning Obama and Clinton were scheduled to speak at AIPAC. As you can imagine, the audience was eager to hear the newly elected candidate for the presidency. Obama spoke of a two state solution. He reiterated that there will be no negotiations with Hamas as long as it resorts to terror, does not recognize Israel, and does not respect previous agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Obama reminded us that he opposed the inclusion of Hamas in the 2006 elections because of Hamas involvement in terrorism. He urged Arab countries to forge relationships with Israel. Obama emphasized time and again, in various phrases and strong words that Israel’s security is “sacrosanct.”

Obama said that as president he will be happy to help Israel in its negotiations with Syria. He then moved to address the focal issue of the conference: Iran, describing its nuclear plans as dangerous and grave to world security. Obama declared that the Bush policies vis-à-vis Iran, and Iraq, had failed. They did not bring calm and peace to the Middle East; quite the opposite. Thus he intends to engage in strong diplomacy with Iran, and redeploy the American troops in Iraq in phases, bringing home the American soldiers. Obama spoke of pressuring Iran to withdraw from its nuclear plans, doing “everything” to put a stop to those plans. He emphasized the word “everything”, and later in his address explained the meaning: When he becomes president, the United States will lead the world in the struggle against nuclear Iran, engage in tough diplomacy with the Iranians, target Iranian banks and assets, hurt the Iranian economy. After exhausting all diplomatic efforts, the military option is on the table.

Obama spoke on furthering the cooperation between the United States and Israel, signing and energy pact with Israel, further scientific cooperation between the two countries, accentuating America's unshakable commitment to Israel.
Whatever you may think of Obama, there is no denying his charisma. This past month I heard him twice. There is no sign of tiredness, although his schedule is insane, flying in a frenzy across the country. He is a brilliant speaker and inspiring leader. And he is sharp as a razor. Two issues, however, are troubling: the discrepancy between his stand on Hamas, and his stand on Iran; and his plans for Iraq.

As for the first, Obama objects to any negotiations with Hamas as long as this “terrorist organization” continues to engage in terror. He depicted the Iranian regime as “terrorist”, still spoke of negotiating the Iranian leaders. Is it because it is a state, whereas Hamas rules only in Gaza? Unclear why Hamas is out, and Iran is in. One would assume that the stand is principled: never engage with terrorism. It's unclear why Iran is an exception.
As for the second, it is unrealistic to leave Iraq at this stage, as the militia forces are stronger, better trained and better equipped than the Iraqi army. Were the US to leave now, even in phases, anarchy will dominate Iraq, which would quickly become a haven for al-Qaeda and Iranian-backed militias. This will not advance American interests, nor will it contribute to Middle East security. Surely, Obama knows that, but his statements on this issue are generally vague, sweeping, and not very thoughtful.

Incitement

On this blog as well as in other forms I reiterated the importance of “clearing the air” of incitement and hate. It is impossible to build trust, let alone peace, when you educate your children to hate.

On May 28, 2008 Haaretz reported that within the framework of the current negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) on a final-status agreement, the sides are examining the possibility of reviewing the textbooks used in the schools, with a view to removing from them content that incites to violence or to a lack of tolerance on national or religious grounds.The talks between Foreign Minister Tzippi Livni and her counterpart, Ahmed Qureia (Abu Alla), deal mainly with the core issues of the conflict Jerusalem, the refugees, the borders and the security arrangements. Nevertheless, a number of joint teams have been set up to deal with civilian subjects such as economics and law. One of the committees established deals with "the culture of peace," its work focusing mainly on issues of incitement. The committee is headed by the deputy to the legal adviser of the foreign ministry, Daniel Taub, and the former minister and senior Fatah official, Sufian Abu Zaida. Taub and Abu Zaida reported that they had reached understandings about the need to deal with incitement in the school books, and pointed out that they are examining various mechanisms whose duty it will be to carry this out.
One proposal under discussion is that experts from each side will examine the school books of the other side independently, and will prepare a list of comments and requests for changing content. Another proposal is to set up a joint team of experts that will define together what the criteria are for examining the text books, and will carry out a parallel examination with a mixed team.
The two also reported that they have started discussing the motives for incitement in the media, with emphasis on the electronic media. The aim is to focus on content that incites to violence, content that harms the right to self determination of the other side or content that encourages a lack of recognition of the other side's right to exist.

Syria

I was asked what I think about the peace talks with Syria. Let’s see what we have:

- An Israeli prime minister who is constantly under investigation for taking bribes. Clouds of suspicion around him are so thick that they become fog.
- Continuous mess in Lebanon. A major player who has a vested interest in the mess, and diverting attention from it is Syria.
- The Bush administration conceives Syria, quite rightly, as part of the axis of terror, and therefore attempts to isolate Syria.
- An Israeli public that, generally speaking, is content with the status quo in the north of the country and would not trust the Syrians to the extent of evacuating the Golan.
- War in the south, where rockets hit deeper targets inside Israel, and Israel carries out targeted killings in Gaza.

All this is very abnormal. It suggests that two players, Olmert and Assad, have a vested interested in pursuing a façade of peace talks. Time will tell whether something concrete will arise from it. All of you who are skeptics reading the promising news about “peace” with our northern neighbor have valid and good reasons.

Yossi Klein Halevi, in a recent article published by the Los Angeles Times (May 28, 2008) explained why by an overwhelming majority, Israelis oppose ceding the Golan to Syria, even in exchange for a promise of peace from Damascus. One reason is that few here believe that the regime of Bashar Assad will honor an agreement. No Arab state has consistently shown greater hostility to Israel than Syria. The Palestinian terrorist movement Hamas is headquartered in Damascus; Syria is Iran's leading Arab ally. Without a Syrian attempt to convince the Israeli public of its benign intentions, domestic opposition will stymie any attempt by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to cede the Golan to Assad. And the prospects for a convincing Syrian overture are almost nonexistent.
Israelis are hardly in a rush to part with one of the most beloved areas of their country. For Israelis, the Golan Heights, with its empty hills and vineyards, is more Provence than Gaza. Unlike the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza, the Golan poses no moral or demographic dilemmas. Here there is no occupation of another people; barely 20,000 Druze, and an equal number of Jews, share the nearly 700-square-mile area.
Under Syrian control before the 1967 war, the Golan was Israel's most volatile border. Many here still recall the years when Syrian soldiers on the Golan routinely shot at Israeli civilians in the Galilee below. After 1967, though, the Golan became Israel's most placid border. Israelis sense that, for the sake of quiet if not formal peace, it is far better to have their soldiers overlooking Syria than for Syrian soldiers to be once again looking down on the Galilee.
Israeli advocates of a Golan withdrawal argue that Syria may be enticed to sever its ties with Iran as part of a peace agreement. Neutralizing a potential Syrian front in a future Middle East war -- with Iran, say -- would be a major gain for Israel, which is why much of the Israeli strategic community supports negotiations. Syria, though, continues to affirm the primacy of its alliance with Iran. And, during a recent visit to Tehran, Syrian Defense Minister Hassan Turkmany reinforced that message by signing a security agreement with Iran.

Human Rights Violations: Israel and PA

On May 28, 2008 Amnesty International's released its annual report "The State of the World's Human Rights". http://report2007.amnesty.org/eng/Homepage
The report documented human rights abuses in 150 countries and territories around the world during 2007. Israel and the Palestinian Authority received their share of criticism. The PA section of the 380-page report highlighted the interfactional violence between Fatah and Hamas forces, accusing both factions of "grave human rights violations including arbitrary detention and torture."
However, it said the deteriorating economic conditions for Palestinians were exacerbated by Israel's "further tightening of their blockade on the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)." Frequent IDF attacks on Palestinian civil infrastructure is cited as another cause of the deterioration.
Israel continued to expand illegal Israeli settlements and stepped up construction of a 700-km fence/wall, 80 per cent of which runs inside the occupied West Bank, including in and around East Jerusalem. Large areas of Palestinian land were seized and utilized for this purpose. The fence/wall and more than 500 Israeli army checkpoints and blockades throughout the West Bank increasingly confined Palestinians to restricted areas and denied them freedom of movement between towns and villages within the Occupied Territories. Many Palestinians were cut off from their farmland, their main source of livelihood, or could not freely access their workplaces, education, health facilities and other services.

Israeli settlers in the West Bank repeatedly attacked Palestinians and their property, as well as international peace activists and human rights defenders who sought to document their attacks on Palestinians. Some of the attacks occurred during the olive harvest season, in October and November, when Palestinian farmers attempted to go to their fields close to Israeli settlements and which Israeli settlers sought to prevent them accessing.

According to the report, more than 330 Palestinians - half of them civilians and including young children - were killed in Israeli attacks, mostly in the Gaza Strip, in the first four months of 2008.

Kassam rockets were described as "homemade" in the report. It said the rocket attacks had killed two Israeli civilians and wounded several others. It also mentioned that indiscriminate attacks on Israeli civilians, in which 13 Israelis were killed, had resulted in the "lowest annual fatality figure since the outbreak of the intifada in 2000."

The latest Amnesty report also blamed Israel for the deaths of 40 Gaza residents, who it said died as a result of Israel refusing to allow medical supplies into Gaza or to let patients in urgent need of medical attention leave.

Following last year's Annapolis peace summit, Israel has not lifted movement restrictions in the territories, the report continued. "Despite US-led efforts to achieve a resolution of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict following talks at Annapolis in 2007, the Israeli authorities continued to build the 700-km. wall/fence, to expand illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, to demolish Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem, the Jordan Valley and elsewhere, and more than 500 military roadblocks continued to restrict or impede the movement of Palestinians between towns and villages throughout the West Bank," it claimed.

The Jerusalem Post reported on May 28 that in response to the condemnation of checkpoints, the army said it had been conducting regular security assessments on crossings and checkpoints, and that an extensive plan to ease restrictions had been implemented by the IDF and the Civil Administration.

Both Israel and the PA were accused of unlawful detentions and unfair trials. "Thousands of Palestinians, including scores of children, were detained by Israeli forces in the OPT. Among those detained were dozens of former ministers in the Hamas-led PA government and Hamas parliamentarians and mayors who were seemingly held to exert pressure on Hamas to release [kidnapped IDF soldier Cpl.] Gilad Schalit," the report said.

After Hamas seized Gaza, the report added, some 1,500 people were detained. Most were released after 48 hours but were required to sign pledges promising to not participate in protests or other forms of opposition. Both Israel and the Palestinians were also accused of using torture. Many of those detained by Palestinian authorities alleged they had been tortured by being beaten, tied in painful positions and threatened. Some were told they would be shot in the legs.

Max Kampelman

On May 22, 2008 the National Endowment for Democracy awarded Max Kampelman the Democracy Service Medal in a special ceremony at the State Department.

Max Kampelman described himself as a Jew, family man, pacifist, lawyer, public servant, and bipartisan diplomat who served several presidents, Democrat and Republican. He was a Cold War-era arms control negotiator who has supported the work of several neoconservative-led advocacy groups that have been instrumental in pushing militarist U.S. policies as part of the “war on terror.” Such groups include the Project for the New American Century (PNAC), the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, and the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Highly regarded for his past work in trying to forge arms control agreements (despite his support for several hard line anticommunist groups in the 1970s and 1980s), he participated in a study that promoted the idea of new U.S. nuclear weapons. At present he devotes his time to convince leaders of the world to pursue global nuclear disarmament. He said: It can be done, and it can be done safely.

Kampelman’s career spanned the Cold War, during which time he shifted between his private law practice at the firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson (now Fried Frank), and various government jobs, including serving as a legislative aide for several years to Sen. Hubert Humphrey (D-MN) and in various diplomatic posts under presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Kampelman is best known for his work as Reagan’s chief arms control negotiator, serving from 1985 to 1989 as head of U.S. negotiating teams that worked with the Soviet Union on nuclear and space weapons issues. He also served as ambassador to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe from 1980 to 1983 and as counselor to the State Department from 1987 to 1989.

Kampelman also supported the work of some advocacy groups that emerged in the 1970s to push for hardline, anti-Soviet policies and that served as building blocks for the then-burgeoning neoconservative political faction. Among these were Social Democrats USA, a group that splintered from the Socialist Party USA in 1972 ; the Coalition for a Democratic Majority (CDM), which was created in the early 1970s by disgruntled Democrats who were angered by the emergence of antiwar elements in the party, and the Committee on the Present Danger (CPD), a group that helped push for an end to détente with the Soviet Union and many of whose members joined the Reagan administration.

When the Cold War ended, Kampelman’s advocacy work continued. He collaborated with PNAC, the influential neoconservative letterhead group, and signed its 2002 letter to President George W. Bush criticizing Chinese rule in Hong Kong. In 2001, he collaborated with the hardline National Institute for Public Policy (NIPP) in producing an influential policy document aimed at promoting aggressive new nuclear weapons policies, including the creation of less powerful, “usable” bombs. According to a 2002 World Policy Institute report, “In general, the NIPP report calls future security threats to the U.S. unknown and unpredictable. Therefore, the report concludes that the U.S. must maintain its nuclear arsenal, and the ability to design, build and test new nuclear weapons. The report asserts that conventional weapons are inadequate replacements for nuclear weapons because they do not have the same ‘destructive power.’ As a solution the report recommends the development of ‘low-yield, precision-guided nuclear weapons.’ In other words, a nuclear weapon the U.S. can actually use.”

Kampelman also supports the work of a number of other organizations known for their militarist “war on terror” agendas and support of policies in line with Israel’s Likud Party, which is largely supportive of the settler movement and has opposed peace efforts aimed at creating a Palestinian state. He is a “Distinguished Advisor” to the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, a member of the Board of Advisors of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, and a member of a new version of the Committee on the Present Danger created after the 9/11 attacks to promote a hardline agenda for the “war on terror.” Kampelman is also chairman emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Freedom House, a U.S.-government-funded group that has been criticized for being an instrument of propaganda.

Despite his support of hard line policies, Kampelman has become a proponent of not just nuclear disarmament, but of total global nuclear elimination. In an April 2006 New York Times op-ed, Kampelman wrote that despite having witnessed “two successful titanic struggles by civilized society against totalitarian movements, those against Nazi fascism and Soviet communism,” he has “never been more worried about the future for my children and grandchildren. … The number of countries possessing nuclear arms is increasing, and terrorists are poised to master nuclear technology with the objective of using those deadly arms against us.” To confront this challenge, he argued that President George W. Bush must take the lead promoting disarmament. He wrote, “To this end, President Bush should consult with our allies, appear before the United Nations General Assembly and call for a resolution embracing the objective of eliminating all weapons of mass destruction. He should make clear that we are prepared to eliminate our nuclear weapons if the Security Council develops an effective regime to guarantee total conformity with a universal commitment to eliminate all nuclear arms and reaffirm the existing conventions covering chemical and biological weapons.” Shortly after penning this op-ed, Kampelman helped lead a Hoover Institution forum on nuclear disarmament. Other participants included an elite group of former policy makers: Henry Kissinger, William Perry, Sam Nunn, and George Shultz. At the October 2007 conference, Kampelman repeated many of the same points he mentioned his New York Times op-ed. According to a Hoover Institution press release, “The theme of former U.S. ambassador Max Kampelman’s remarks was the importance of moving from ought to is. He compared the goals of the Reykjavik II conference to those of the U. S. Constitution. Kampelman said that the principles of the Constitution may have seemed idealistic when they were introduced, but the founders had a vision that what ought to be would eventually become reality. Kampelman believes that pursuing zero tolerance of nuclear weapons is a goal the U.S. government should energetically pursue to prepare for the future. ‘What ought calls for is to get rid of nuclear weapons,’ he declared.”

President Bill Clinton awarded Kampelman the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1999, and President Ronald Reagan awarded him the Presidential Citizens Medal in 1989. And now he received the Democracy Service Medal.

Among the speakers in the ceremony, all were full of praise of Kampelman’s service to the US, were: Under Secretary, Democracy and Global Affairs Paula Dobriansky (who received the Democracy Service Medal in 2002), Chairperson of NED Vin Weber, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Librarian of Congress James Billington (formerly Director of the Wilson Center), Senator Joseph Lieberman and NED President Carl Gershman. George W. Bush sent a letter of congratulation. I thank Carl for inviting me to attend this ceremony.

Kampelman's books include Entering New Worlds: The Memoirs of a Private Man in Public Life (1991), and The Communist Party vs. The C.I.O: A Study in Power Politics (1957).
Source: http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/1243.html


Dan David Prize

The Dan David Prize is the most distinguished private prize in Israel. Its laureates receive one million dollar in prize money. It is divided into three: past, present and future. Sometimes there is more than one winner in each category who then split the prize money between them.

This year, in the “Past” category, the 2008 Dan David Prize honors Amos Oz in the field of Creative Rendering of the Past: Literature, Theater, Film for portraying historical events while emphasizing the individual, and for exploring the tragic conflict between two nations from a very human point of view. Amos Oz, one of the most widely read Israeli writers in the world, has published numerous novels, novellas, short stories, essays, and occasionally even poetry. His writing spans five decades, and has earned him many outstanding Israeli and international prizes.
Several of his works deal with the pre-state period in Israel, when Palestine was governed by the British mandate. They represent the atmosphere and mood of that uncertain era as a backdrop for his psychological insights and his thoughtful in-depth characterizations, for which he is most well known. This is most evident in "The Hill of Evil Counsel" (1976) and "Panther in the Basement" (1995), and is somewhat the case in "My Michael" (1968). In his 1971 novella "Unto Death", Oz uses medieval Europe and Jerusalem as a background for a fictional crusader narrative, again, based on a psychological drama, fraught with struggles for revelation and redemption.
His noteworthy achievement in rendering the past in an artistic fashion is represented in his part fiction / part autobiographical 2002 novel, "A Tale of Love and Darkness". In this massive volume, Oz narrates the saga of his own family, reaching deeply into mythological, magical, historical, and real past, as remembered or handed down the family line by word of mouth or material remnants - and bringing it to its closure with his own maturation and becoming an artist. The brilliance of the novel is in the composition of this grand narrative, in which the personal represents - and becomes - the collective, and in which historical documentation may serve as notes to family affairs. Thus a sense of genealogy is created, with its domestic ruptures and psychological eruptions, in parallel to the unfolding of national history (from http://www.dandavidprize.org/laureates/past2008-oz.html ).

In the “Present” section, the 2008 Dan David Prize honors Al Gore in the field of Social Responsibility with Particular Emphasis on the Environment for his multiple contributions in raising the conscience of the world to the challenge posed to the continuing sustainable function of the global environment and life support system. Al Gore is probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide awareness of the detrimental effects that man's energy consumption has had on the environment, and the imperative for individuals and governments to take drastic action to avert climatic disaster.
Gore has been a tireless advocate for the environment throughout his career; as United States Senator, as Vice President of the United States and more recently as a private citizen. He has eloquently sounded the alarm on the importance of the threat to the global ecosystem posed by the world's current and increasing reliance on carbon dioxide emitting fossil fuels as its primary energy source. His book, "Earth in the Balance", first published in 1992, translated since into many languages, remains a classic, not only a call to action but also an important educational resource. The Oscar winning movie he produced more recently and in which he starred, "An Inconvenient Truth", has carried the message to an even larger audience.
His interest in climate change dates back to his time as an undergraduate at Harvard University when he took a course from the late Roger Revelle. Revelle first introduced him to the now famous Keeling curve, the steadily rising record of atmospheric CO2. This experience sparked a lifelong interest in environmental science.
Although Gore had little formal education in science, he has devoted his life to learning and understanding the complex science that underlies the function of the global life support system, and specifically the climate system. He is dedicated to communicating the nature of this science to the general public (from http://www.dandavidprize.org/laureates/present2008-gore.html).

Gore said 10 percent of the prize would go to young researchers and the rest to the Alliance for Climate Protection. For further information about the Dan David Prize and its winners, see http://www.dandavidprize.org/about.html

Hate in the USA

The end of 2007 brought to a close another year marked by staggering levels of racist hate in America. Even as several major hate groups struggled to survive, other new groups appeared, and the radical right as a whole appeared to grow. The latest annual count by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) found that the number of hate groups operating in America rose to 888 last year, up 5% from 844 groups in 2006. That capped an increase of 48% since 2000 — a hike from 602 groups attributable to the exploitation by hate groups of the continuing debate about immigration. And it comes on top of some 300 other anti-immigration groups, about half listed by SPLC as “nativist extremist,” formed in the last three years.

At the same time, FBI statistics suggested that there was a 35% rise in hate crimes against Latinos between 2003 and 2006. Experts believe that such crimes are typically carried out by people who think they are attacking immigrants.
See http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=886

John Ivan Demjanjuk

During the mid-1980s, when I served as the Chairperson of The Second Generation to Holocaust Remembrance Organization, I invested some efforts in bringing Ivan Demjanjuk to justice in Israel. I met with the relevant people in the Israeli and American Ministry of Justice who were convinced that Ivan Demjanjuk was the notorious "Ivan the Terrible" from the Treblinka death camp. Ivan took special joy and pleasure in murdering Jews, far beyond the call of duty.

My organization served as a lobby group pushing to bring Demjanjuk to justice. When he was finally extradited from the US to Israel and stood trial, some doubt emerged that this man was not Ivan the Terrible, but Ivan the less terrible. It was argued that he probably served as a guard in Nazi death camps, but he was not the man we sought. This was a major blow in the efforts to bring further Nazi criminals to justice. I certainly did not wish to involve myself in further efforts, and it is safe to say that the State of Israel will not go out of its way at this point to put on trial other known or suspected Nazi criminals.

On Monday, May 19, 2008 John Demjanjuk lost a US Supreme Court appeal that sought to overturn an order by the nation's chief immigration judge that he be deported to his native Ukraine. Without comment, the high court refused to hear an appeal by the 88-year old retired Ohio auto worker that argued the immigration judge lacked the authority to order his deportation. The rejection of the appeal marked the latest development in a legal battle between Demjanjuk and the US Justice Department that began in 1977. Demjanjuk was stripped of his US Citizenship again in 2002, when a federal judge ruled he had been a guard at three other Nazi death camps in Poland and Germany. Demjanjuk immigrated to the United States in 1952 and became a naturalized citizen in 1958 (from YNET http://www.ynetnews.com/Ext/Comp/ArticleLayout/CdaArticlePrintPreview/1,2506,L-3545325,00.html ).

UCL Dismissed a Research Fellow for Holocaust Denial

On April 22, 2008 University College London published the following statement about Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom:

UCL has been made aware of views expressed by Dr Nicholas Kollerstrom, an Honorary Research Fellow in UCL Science & Technology Studies.
The position of Honorary Research Fellow is a privilege bestowed by departments within UCL on researchers with whom it wishes to have an association. It is not an employed position.
The views expressed by Dr Kollerstrom are diametrically opposed to the aims, objectives and ethos of UCL, such that we wish to have absolutely no association with them or with their originator.
We therefore have no choice but to terminate Dr Kollerstrom’s Honorary Research Fellowship with immediate effect. Source: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0804/08042202


UK Endorses Hybrid Embryo Research

On May 19, 2008 British lawmakers voted to allow the use of animal-human embryos for research after a national debate that pitted religious leaders who called it unethical against the prime minister and scientists who said it would help cure disease. The Washington Post reported on May 20 that last month, scientists at Newcastle created part-human, part-animal embryos for the first time in Britain. An attempt to ban the process, during consideration in the House of Commons of the first major revisions to embryo research laws in a generation, failed overwhelmingly on a vote of 336 to 176.

The overall bill, argued Prime Minister Brown, would enable lifesaving research that could help people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and other diseases. He said, "I believe that we owe it to ourselves and future generations to introduce these measures."

The bill would allow scientists to continue injecting human DNA into cows' eggs that have had virtually all their genetic material removed, as well as other hybrid embryo processes for stem cell research. Scientists say the embryos would not be allowed to develop for more than 14 days.

The same day, lawmakers also voted to support the government's plans to allow "savior siblings." This authorizes the screening of embryos for genetic characteristics in cases in which a parent is seeking a child in order to help a diseased older child in need of tissue donation.

The idea of blending human and animal DNA to make "chimeric" embryos for research has long been contentious in the United States, where such experiments are legal if conducted without public funding.

In April 2005, the National Academies -- chartered by Congress to advise the nation on matters of science -- released a report affirming that scientists should be allowed to create such entities if the experiments are approved by special review boards. The advisers came down against the creation of human-monkey or human-ape embryos, as well as experiments in which a human-like brain might develop in a non-human animal.

Legislation introduced in the Senate and House would ban the creation of animal-human hybrid embryos even with private monies -- a move that has raised concerns from scientists and patient support groups in part because it would criminalize an entire branch of biomedical research.

Source: Mary Jordan, “Hybrid Embryo Research Endorsed”, Washington Post (May 20, 2008), p. A7.

TURKISH PUBLISHER WINS IPA'S FREEDOM TO PUBLISH PRIZE

A Turkish publisher who refused to abandon his campaign for freedom of thought - despite being given a three-year jail sentence - is this year's winner of the International Publishers' Association (IPA) Freedom to Publish Prize.

Since starting his publishing house Belge with his wife Ayse Nur in 1977, Ragip Zarakolu has been constantly at the receiving end of the wrath of the Turkish authorities. The charges they brought against him and Nur resulted in jail time for the couple, confiscation and destruction of books, and the imposition of heavy fines, endangering the survival of Belge. But Zarakolu refused to give up his campaign for free expression, saying he fought "for an attitude of respect for different thoughts and cultures to become widespread in Turkey."
The Freedom to Publish Prize honours a person or an organisation that has made an important contribution to the defence and promotion of freedom to publish anywhere in the world. This year, the prize, worth 5,000 Swiss Francs (US$4,800), will be presented to Zarakolu at the International Seminar on Neo-Censorship in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in September.

From The "IFEX Communiqué". For more details, see http://tinyurl.com/5lell6

New Books

IFLA/FAIFE World Report Series 2007 - now available online
Volume 7 of the IFLA/FAIFE World Report Series - Access to libraries and information: Towards a fairer world - provides a world perspective on several issues regarding freedom of expression and freedom of access to information.
The IFLA/FAIFE World Report Series is unique. It is the only source that provides an overview of how libraries around the world are tackling barriers to freedom of access to information and freedom of expression. Its systematic data collection process expands upon previous reports and enables comparison over time. The 2007 edition contains 116 country reports, based on questionnaires and additional research carried out by the Department of Information Science at the University of Pretoria, which provide current details on library statistics; Internet access in libraries and the digital divide; filtering and blocking of online information; user privacy and anti-terror legislation; violations of intellectual freedom; access to HIV/AIDS information; women and freedom of access to information; library codes of ethics, the IFLA Internet Manifesto and the Glasgow Declaration.

The 2007 World Report shows that the digital divide is still a serious reality that needs to be tackled by library communities worldwide in the years to come. Significant inequalities in Internet access exist across the international library community which are often exacerbated by the increasing use of filtering software to protect children and safeguard public morality and religious values. The 2007 World Report shows that in many of IFLA’s member countries, intellectual freedom is still very much under pressure, leaving library users unable to fully express their rights to freedom of access to information.

In addition to the global survey, the report contains the following articles:
Archie L. Dick, From censorship to freedom of access to information and freedom of expression in South Africa
Irina Trushina, Corruption and transparency in Russia: the anticorruption role of libraries
Barbara M. Jones, The USA patriot act: an example of the impact of national security legislation on libraries
Kamel Labidi, Censorship in Arab countries
Jane Duncan, On libraries and intellectual self-defense
Ethel Kriger, The interrelated roles of archival and right of access to information legislation to promote democratic government in South Africa
The IFLA/FAIFE World Report 2007 is an extensive 480-page document that updates previous World Reports from 2001, 2003 and 2005. Taken together with summary reports in 2002, 2004 and 2006, it is the seventh volume in the IFLA/FAIFE World Report Series.

Volume 7 of the IFLA/FAIFE World Report Series, Access to libraries and information: Towards a fairer world, is now available in PDF format for free on the IFLA website at: http://www.ifla.org/faife/report/world_report_2007.htm
ISBN: 978-0-620-41005-2

Handbook of Communication in the Public Sphere
Ed. by Wodak, Ruth / Koller, Veronika

http://www.degruyter.de/cont/fb/sp/detail.cfm?id=IS-9783110188325-1

ISBN 978-3-11-018832-5 Reihe: Handbooks of Applied Linguistics [HAL] / Communication Competence. Language and Communication Problems. Practical Solutions 4
MOUTON DE GRUYTER
This volume addresses the acute dilemma of the public sphere, which is by definition open to everyone but in practice often excludes particular groups of people in particular societies at particular points in time. Thus, the theoretical and conceptual issues of participation and democratisation are at the core of this volume. The guiding questions for this collection of articles are therefore: Who has access to the public sphere? How is this access enabled or disabled? Under what conditions is it granted or withheld, and by whom?

Due to the salient changes of the notions of time and space, communication and language(s) nowadays cover many more domains and use different channels: Communication has become ubiquitous, fast and global. These changes have enormous impact on both institutional, public and every day lives.

We regard the public sphere as the nodal point for the discourses of business, politics and media, and this basic assumption is also s reflected in the structure of the volume. Each of these three macro-topics comprises chapters by international renowned scholars from a variety of disciplines and research traditions who each combine up-to-date overviews of the relevant literature with their own cutting-edge research into aspects of different public spheres such as corporate promotional communication, political rhetoric or genre features of electronic mass media.

The broad scope of the volume is also reflected in a comprehensive discussion of communication technologies ranging from conventional spoken and written genres such as company brochures, political speeches and TV shows to emerging ones like customer chat forums, political blogs and text messaging.

Due to the books' wide scope, its interdisciplinary approach and its clear structure, it addresses researchers, scholars and post-graduate students in communication and media studies, linguistics, political science, sociology or marketing.

Peter and Richard Leitner, in association with Crossbow Books, are pleased to announce the publication of the first book in their five volume series entitled:
Unheeded Warnings: The Lost Reports of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare Volume 1: Islamic Terrorism and the West

This book series contains some 18 years of warning and analysis published within the U.S. Congress by an organization known as the Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare. During its remarkably long life, the Task Force issued hundreds of reports comprising thousands of pages of warnings and analyses of the growing specter of the Islamist movement, its increasingly violent nature, and its selection of the Western world as its ultimate target. The depth and breadth of the Task Force's analytical efforts were unparalleled, as were its productive capacity and broad product distribution efforts. The Task Force's astonishing knowledge of the gathering storm that finally broke over New York City and Washington on that fateful September morning is represented in these pages.
See http://www.lulu.com/content/2293351

Dario, Milo, Freedom of Speech and Defamation (Oxford: OUP, 2008).

Thank You

I thank Peter Leitner for inviting me to the Maxwell inaugural conference; Marvin Feuer and Rafi Danziger for their kind invitation to participate in the AIPAC conference, and Daniel Solove for inviting me to participate in the GW-Berkeley Privacy Conference.

Music

Watch this Hava Nagila. It warms the heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFtv5qe5o3c&mode=related&search


Avi Nimni

On May 17, 2008 the greatest player in the history of Maccabi Tel Aviv officially retired from football.

Avi Nimni was born on April 26, 1972. He grew up in the Maccabi youth club. At 17 he played his first game in the national league and a year later he became a regular starter for Maccabi. He played for Maccabi most of his career, and became the most identified player with the club.

Although he was a midfielder, Nimni is Maccabi's all-time top goal scorer, having scored 174 goals. He has scored 194 goals overall in the league, and upon his retirement he is ranked number three all time top goal scorer in Israeli football after Alon Mizrahi with 207 goals and Oded Machnes with 196 goals. Both strikers, Mizrachi and Machnes, played at some point of their careers for Maccabi. This is all impressive considering Nimni was a midfielder.

Nimni had a magnificent understanding of the game, a clinical touch, body maneuvers that could trick anybody, nerves of steel, determination, commitment, leadership and charisma in tons. He was first and foremost a leader and a sportsman. As a fan of Maccabi I used to read the sports columns before the games in order to check whether Nimni is not injured and is scheduled to play. Like most Maccabi fans, I always knew I could count on him. For years, Maccabi was an inferior team without him. Nimni became an icon, the most beloved players among Maccabi’s fans. Nimni personifies Maccabi on and off field. He tried to answer every request from the fans, appearing in their private celebrations and functions, showing sympathy in their sorrows, paying respect when this was requested as he knows how important it is for the fans to see him with them. This caring human touch made him the most influential person in Maccabi, possibly the most influential player in the history of Israeli football.
Nimni was the captain of Maccabi for many years. He had 80 appearances in the national team, many times as the captain, and scored 17 goals for Israel.

Here is a summary of his sports achievements which is only the tip of the iceberg as his achievements go far beyond this list.
1991/1992 - League Champion
1992/1993 - Toto Cup Winner and Championship Runner Up
1993/1994 - Israeli Cup
1994/1995 - League Champion
1995/1996 - League and Israeli Cup Double
1998/1999 - Toto Cup Winner and Championship Runner Up
2000/2001 - Israeli Cup and Top Goal scorer (25)
2001/2002 - Israeli Cup
2002/2003 - League Champion
To see some of Nimni’s brilliant goals, go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3Lx4teriY0

Hull Football Club

On Saturday, May 24, 2008 the small club from Hull made history. Hull City won promotion to the Premier League for the first time in its history of 104 years. Hull beat Bristol City 1-0 in the Championship playoff final at Wembley Stadium.

The hero of the day was the 39 year-old Hull-born Dean Windass who struck a truly magnificent volley from the edge of the penalty area late in the first half to give Phil Brown’s side a narrow yet sufficient win and a promotion to the Premier League which will be worth millions of dollars to the Tigers in desperate need for a boost and which will give Hull football fans, old and new, opportunity to watch quality football at home. This is certainly a welcome addition to the city of Hull, known in sports mostly because of its rugby team.


Film of the Month

The Color of Freedom (2007) - Based on the controversial memoirs of James Gregory, the white South African who guarded Nelson Mandela during more than 20 years of imprisonment under apartheid, this remarkable drama stars the wonderful Joseph Fiennes and the charismatic Dennis Haysbert who mimics Mandela’s pronunciation. As Mandela seeks freedom for himself and his people, Gregory (Fiennes) gradually begins to renounce his militant racism, thanks to his unlikely but powerful relationship with the political prisoner.

See http://www.goodbyebafana.com/interviews/bille_august.php


Gem of the Month – AIPAC Annual Conference

Thousand of people. Leaders of their respective communities. Public activists. Thoughtful. Caring. All with one shared drive: helping Israel, bolstering its security, acting on its behalf. The air was filled with love for the country and its people. What a heart-warming feeling. What a wonderful occasion of solidarity, of support for the small State of Israel. AIPAC is a great organization. It is good to know we have such an impressive lobby on our side. I am full of appreciation and respect for those who organized this great gathering, for the leaders who came to speak, and to listen. This conference was a celebration of love, of power, demonstrating the unbreakable ties between the United States and Israel.

With my very best wishes,

Yours as ever,






My last communications are available on http://almagor.blogspot.com/
Earlier posts at my home page: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca/ <http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca/>

People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at rafi.almagor@wilsoncenter.org